Book read: The Greatest Show on Earth : The Evidence for Evolution by Richard Dawkins

A very detailed but still accessible book about the evidence for evolution. Dawkins targets his audience as including the 40% of Americans who think the Earth is around 10000 years old.

This is wide of the mark, you would have to be a believer to pick up this book in the first place, if you have suffered years of religious mis-teaching it is probably already too late.

But it is a great book, very interesting and full of detail. Dawkins sometimes slips into the role of the prize fighter picking off the Creationist tyranny - but only occasionally does this detract from the presentation of the actual science (something he does much better).

I can well understand his frustration with the Creationist/religious lobby that in turn controls education and what can get taught - so I can forgive his sense of outrage.

Walk: Extended Run Route

The same as last week's walk. Slightly more running this time, two stints one back to the traffic lights and one past it.

Listening to a Clive James audio book, "Cultural Amnesia", very interesting.

House of Lords: Gravy Train

Labour peerages announced:

Ruth Kelly - I can never forgive her for failing to provide compensation for Equitable Life having found "no evidence whatsoever".

John Prescott - I probably do not need to say anything here. The man with the comprehensive transport plan that never materialised, well only in the form of two Jaguar's.

Sue Nye - A long time aide of Brown, the "Sue" who arranged Brown's Bigotgate moment.

John Reid - I can just about support this one.

What a gravy train, I cannot see any of these people being of use in public service save Reid.

Film: There Will Be Blood directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

An interesting film about an oil prospector at the turn of the 20th century. The film shows a great recreation of the hard life these people had, the physically tough work, and danger of drilling wells.

That was enough to captivate my attention, and unfortunately the plot about the main character becoming entwined in a religion so that he could pursue drilling rights wore a little thin on me. The film descends into a unexpectedly dark ending.

Still an impressive film, 7/10

FA Cup: Chelsea 1 - Portsmouth 0

A bridge too far in the end. Portsmouth gave a good account of themselves, missed a penalty. Chelsea had many chances too and also missing a penalty, the game always remained a tight affair.

So the end of an era, the team will break up, the manager will leave - an uncertain future awaits.

Well done to Avram though, I can see why he is in demand.

Walk: Extended run route

Distance 4.66 km, 2.90 miles around 45 minutes.

No bike ride this weekend, not great conditions. So a walk instead down to the station end of the main road and along back the round the extended block. The reverse of the route that was a running route last year.

I also tried to run some of it, but I'm a long way from that being easy to do.

Labour Throwing the Election?

A thought crossed my mind after the recent snooker frame fixing allegations.

This is a government term that no one really wants to win, they all have to do tough things to bring down the deficit.

So maybe, by leaving Gordon Brown in charge, Lord Mandelson has kind of thrown this election. Gets him out the way, ready for 5-10 years time for the next "New Labour" experiment.

Just a thought.